Family, friends mourn Newark daycare employee stabbed to death

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ORTIZ FAMILYErica Ortiz Fuentes, 36, with her youngest of her four children Javier Criado Jr., 6. Fuentes, a teacher at the Newark PreSchool Council, Inc., was killed outside the school.

NEWARK — When the domestic violence complaints against him mounted, Erica Ortiz-Fuentes filed a temporary restraining order to keep her ex-boyfriend, Estol "Hector" Molina, away, her relatives said.

When that didn’t stop him, the 36-year-old mother of four began calling police, and even tried to move up her court date seeking a permanent restraining order, said her friend, SolMaria Salas.

That court date was scheduled for today, Salas said.

Thursday morning, Ortiz-Fuentes was fatally stabbed in the neck near the Newark preschool where she was a teacher’s aide. A short time later, Molina, 42, of Newark, turned himself in to police, and was later charged with murder and weapons offenses, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said. Bail was set at $1 million.

Authorities say Molina stabbed Ortiz-Fuentes at 7:45 a.m., just outside Newark Preschool Council on St. Francis Street. She died at University Hospital 15 minutes later. Officials soon closed the school for the day, and distraught teachers could be seen standing at the doorway, hugging each other and sobbing.

By mid-afternoon, a small group of friends and family had gathered outside the five-story apartment complex Ortiz-Fuentes moved to in August, the same building as her mother.

The longtime Newark resident was known as "Momma Goose" because she was always willing to care for the less fortunate, whether it was to serve a hot meal or give out a warm coat in winter, said Daniel Laguer, 24. "She never denied a plate of food to anybody. She would go outside and give clothes to the prostitutes. She treated everybody the same."

Ortiz-Fuentes had been a teacher for 11 years — though not at the preschool — and had nearly completed her master’s degree in psychology from New Jersey City University, Salas said. "She was a good friend and an excellent mother."

But the relationship with Molina was troubled, and it ended a few months ago, after they were together less than a year, said her son, Ferdinand Ortiz, 16. Despite the restraining order, he said, Molina didn’t go away.

Jennifer Brown/The Star-LedgerEddie Rios, a nephew, left, close friends Daniel Laguer, left center, and Gabbie Ortiz, (no relation) right, console Ferdinand Ortiz, 19, the oldest son of Erica Ortiz Fuentes, 36, who was stabbed to death yesterday. Family and friends gathered outside her home in the Pacific Apartments in Newark.

Two law enforcement officials confirmed the defendant had been under a restraining order. The officials, who did not want to be identified because they weren’t authorized to discuss the investigation, also said Fuentes had filed previous domestic abuse complaints against him.

But he behavior grew more frightening in the last week, with Molina climbing up to her second-floor apartment, throwing rocks at the window from outside and leaving threatening messages, said her brother, Christian Fuentes, 22. "There were plenty of police reports. It’s a shame. The police failed," he said.

Newark police did not immediately return a call for comment.

The victim’s son, Ferdinand Ortiz, said he didn’t know what could have stopped Molina. "She opened her eyes. But it was too late."